Potato Tacos by the Sea

Chronic Tacos is an excellent local minichain for that very non-Mexican specialty: California-style potato tacos. Now, there are such things as potato tacos in Mexican cooking, but these aren’t them. These are what sometimes get called “surf tacos”—fried, cheesy, and perfect for beach bums. Potato tacos are the best: $1.09 each, and best with hot salsa. Ask them to add cheese to the potatoes before they fry ’em, suggests Das Ubergeek.

They’ve also got shrimp tacos, which are best if you request that the shrimp be deep-fried, says Das Ubergeek. Get them with cabbage, sour cream, hot salsa, and maybe guacamole. They’re $3.49, and the size of a burrito. The Newport Beach branch has no seating; the Huntington Beach branch has seating, festooned with band and surf stickers. These two branches are the ones vetted by Das Ubergeek, but the chain seems to be expanding rapidly through Southern California, so check the website for new locations.